Bedeutung
To become lost during travel
Kultureller Hintergrund
Many Greek island villages (Choras) were built with labyrinthine streets to confuse pirates. It is expected that tourists will 'χάσουν το δρόμο' their first time there. Athens grew rapidly and many streets are not on a grid. Even locals can 'χάσουν το δρόμο' in neighborhoods like Kypseli or Pangrati. If you tell a Greek you lost your way, they will often go out of their way to help you, reflecting the ancient value of Zeus Xenios. In Orthodox Christianity, 'losing the way' is a common metaphor for sin or straying from the spiritual path.
Add 'μου'
Adding 'μου' (my) makes you sound much more like a native speaker.
Don't say 'Είμαι χαμένος'
While grammatically correct, it sounds like you are lost in a deep, existential depression rather than just missing a turn.
Bedeutung
To become lost during travel
Add 'μου'
Adding 'μου' (my) makes you sound much more like a native speaker.
Don't say 'Είμαι χαμένος'
While grammatically correct, it sounds like you are lost in a deep, existential depression rather than just missing a turn.
Use with 'κάπου'
Say 'Έχασα το δρόμο κάπου εδώ' (I lost the way somewhere around here) to sound very natural.
Ask a 'Periptero'
If you lose your way, the best person to ask is the owner of a 'periptero' (kiosk). They know every street!
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'χάνω' in the past tense (Aorist).
Χθες, ο Γιάννης ______ το δρόμο για το σπίτι μου.
The sentence refers to 'yesterday' (χθες), so we need the third-person singular past tense.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I lost my way'?
Πώς το λέμε στα ελληνικά;
'Έχασα το δρόμο μου' is the standard idiomatic expression.
Complete the dialogue.
Α: Γιατί άργησες; Β: Συγγνώμη, ________.
Losing the way is a common reason for being late.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are in a forest and don't see the path anymore.
You use 'χάνω το δρόμο' when you can't find your path.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Lost in Greek
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenΧθες, ο Γιάννης ______ το δρόμο για το σπίτι μου.
The sentence refers to 'yesterday' (χθες), so we need the third-person singular past tense.
Πώς το λέμε στα ελληνικά;
'Έχασα το δρόμο μου' is the standard idiomatic expression.
Α: Γιατί άργησες; Β: Συγγνώμη, ________.
Losing the way is a common reason for being late.
Situation: You are in a forest and don't see the path anymore.
You use 'χάνω το δρόμο' when you can't find your path.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
12 FragenBoth are used. In modern Greek, the 'ν' is often dropped before 'δ', but keeping it ('τον δρόμο') is also correct and slightly more formal.
Yes, you can say 'Έχασα το δρόμο της σκέψης μου', though 'Έχασα τον ειρμό μου' is more common.
'Χάνω το δρόμο' is the action of taking a wrong turn. 'Χάνομαι' is the general state of being lost.
Metaphorically, it can be a bit critical, implying they are making bad life choices.
The most common way is 'Έχω χαθεί' or 'Έχασα το δρόμο'.
Yes: 'Το GPS έχασε το δρόμο' (The GPS lost the way).
No, it can be a street, a path, or a metaphorical way.
Χάσαμε το δρόμο (We lost the way). The noun 'δρόμο' usually stays singular unless you lost multiple different routes.
Yes, perfectly. 'Έχασα το μονοπάτι' is also used.
Yes, it is standard across all Greek-speaking regions.
Only if you are literally explaining why you were late. Don't use it metaphorically about your career unless asked.
Βρίσκω το δρόμο (I find the way).
Verwandte Redewendungen
χάνω τον ύπνο μου
similarTo lose sleep over something
βρίσκω το δρόμο μου
contrastTo find one's way
παίρνω το δρόμο
builds onTo set out on a journey
χάνω τη σειρά μου
similarTo lose my turn
χάνομαι στη μετάφραση
specialized formLost in translation
